1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aspirating vaporized material and in particular, smoke, steam and fine particulates of vaporized material during surgery and treatment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,459 to Onik et al. discloses a percutaneous diskeotomy system (for surgery on the disks in the human back) having an irrigation device and vacuum device for aspirating tissue fragments severed by a guillotine cutting device. The system disclosed by Onik et al. provides irrigation fluid and vacuum for moving tissue fragments internally along the system for removal. The irrigation pathways are relatively large in diameter to accommodate the tissue fragments and irrigation fluids. Onik et al. does not disclose or suggest using a laser to vaporize tissue or aspirating vaporized tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,828 to Eichenbaum discloses a laser system including a handpiece and nose cone assembly having mating passageways for aspiration and irrigation. The nose cone assembly comprises an outer housing, an inner housing and an aspiration tube located inside the inner housing, all with coaxially aligned lateral openings defining a photovaporization chamber. Eichenbaum discloses that tissue is aspirated into the chamber where it is vaporized and conducted along the aspiration tube. The aspiration and irrigation passageways are separate from and adjacent to the optical fiber passageway, thus resulting in a fairly large diameter device to be inserted into the body. Eichenbaum does not disclose or suggest aspirating vaporized tissue along essentially the same passageway that the optical fiber is disposed.
There is a need therefore for a relatively simple and compact (small diameter) device for aspirating vaporized material, thereby decreasing the overall diameter of the portion of the device inserted into the body.